A 38-YEAR-OLD estate gardener was rushing to the aid of his employer after a 'serious incident' when he was confronted by the police in a narrow Stroud lane and was found to be over the drink-drive limit, a court was told yesterday.

Colin Law of Little Lypiatt, near Stroud, pleaded guilty at Cheltenham Magistrates court to driving with excess alcohol on his breath.

He had 106 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - the legal limit being 35 micrograms.

Said prosecuting lawyer Sonia Alford: “The defendant was driving his Peugeot 407 on Bourne Lane, which is a narrow road, on the night of August 26 when police in a patrol car approached from the opposite direction.”

The defendant reversed his car but mounted the kerb and went into a hedge, the court was told.

“Officers got out and approached the defendant, who smelt of alcohol,” said Ms Alford.

The court heard that Law had two previous drink-drive convictions – in 2001 and in 2012.

Defending lawyer Heath Thomas said: “The officers who stopped my client had just returned from a serious incident at the defendant’s employer’s home.

“My client was rushing to help his employer and that is why he got behind the wheel of is car.”

The court heard that the defendant was “misguided” to drive on that occasion, but he was only thinking of assisting his boss.

No details of the “serious incident” were revealed to the court.

Magistrates banned Law from driving for 40 months, fined him £417 and ordered him to pay prosecution costs of £85.